Articles
New fund brings authors into schools, libraries
When Port in a Storm bookstore owner Jan Coates thinks of her responsibility to her community, she thinks beyond providing good reads and quality literature. “I wanted to explore how we can extend the connection between authors and readers outside the store,” the Somesville store owner says, “I wanted to focus on bringing children a
Great Cranberry building changes address, purpose
On Nov. 16, Great Cranberry Island residents were treated to the sight of an island landmark driving down the road. The Mountain View Inn, which housed a restaurant from the island’s boardinghouse days in the 1920s, took about three hours to move a quarter-mile down the main road to its new home. The former inn was
Casco Bay fire departments succeed through cooperation
On May 20, Great Diamond Island faced what all islanders fear: a fire. The volunteer department showed up within minutes of the report called in by a local fisherman, followed shortly by members of the Portland Fire Department aboard the Portland fireboat. Also on the scene were members of Long Island’s fire department, arriving within
Creativity, voluntarism make island fire departments work
The eastern islands of the Maine coast are some of the smallest and most remote towns in the state of Maine. The residents of these islands are used to making do and scrambling for new ways of accomplishing tasks. This resourcefulness is reflected in the region’s fire departments, which have developed new and innovative ways
Island fire departments must deal with isolation and shortage of volunteers
In many ways, an island fire department is like a fire department in any other small community: limited funding, dependency on volunteers, lack of equipment. The major difference, and one that lies behind many of the challenges island departments face, is the isolation. Reinforcements are an ocean away, and there is no back up equipment.
Isle au Haut Passes School Budget, Buys Hose, Pumps
In a large turnout for a small island, around 50 people showed up for Isle au Haut town meeting on Monday, March 29th. They passed a $190,696 school budget, re-elected most town personnel, and approved new money to finance the fire department and build a town sand shed. Ted Hoskins was elected to moderate the
Recruiting New Firefighters is a Problem for Islands
At the March 26th Firefighters’ Forum at the Island Institute, there was much talk of training problems, the cost of fire insurance, recruitment woes and aging equipment. But there were also grant success stories, idea sharing and a renewed commitment to improving island fire departments. The forum was designed to connect island fire departments in
Swan’s Island Funds Roads, Recreation, Law Enforcement
Swan’s Island held its annual town meeting on March 1st, filling the school gym to near capacity on a sunny, spring-like day. Though discussion was occasionally lively, there were few hot button issues. After nine years of service, Billy Banks declined to run again for the Board of Selectmen. Nancy Carter, who is only the
New Library for Swan’s Nears Completion
After ten years of hard work, the Swan’s Island Public Library is almost ready to call its building renovation complete. In 1991, the village of Atlantic’s schoolhouse was left to the Swan’s Island Educational Society (SIES) for a new library. The years since have taken the building from a shell to a beautiful, functional space.
Vinalhaven oarspeople participate in Snow Row
By this time of the year, most islanders look forward to spending their weekends curled up under a blanket with a hot drink. But a group of Vinalhaven rowers threw aside the afghans for oars in preparation for the Snow Row, an annual race held in Hull, Mass., by the Hull Lifesaving Museum. In what